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Daily Archives: August 20, 2010

The Patriots returned to the scene of the crime Friday night and did plenty of damage.

On the same field where their second-half struggles began with a four-game sweep at the hands of the Lancaster Barnstormers, the Patriots put together a complete performance to win 9-2 and move into a three-way tie for first place in the Freedom Division.

LANCASTER, PA. — A variety of physical ailments weren’t the only thing cured when the Somerset Patriots finally got healthy.

Manager Sparky Lyle says that the Patriots’ place in the Atlantic League’s bottom three in fielding percentage (.971) and unearned runs allowed (90) is a product of an abundance of injuries and position changes.

Lyle also thinks that the cure for the defensive deficiencies is an empty disabled list, which the Patriots have had since Aug. 2.

“When I see that stat, I kind of smile because I know why it’s there,” Lyle said. “My guys were playing hurt and playing 30 games in a row because I couldn’t give them a day off. It doesn’t mean we’re not catching the ball.”

The Patriots committed 121 errors in their first 111 games entering Friday night’s visit to the Lancaster Barnstormers at Clipper Magazine Stadium.

One year after leading the league in defense, the Patriots already have committed 13 more errors than last season despite retaining six of the eight positional regulars from the 2009 playoffs.

BRIDGEWATER — In the middle of one of New Jersey’s hottest summers on record and a tight pennant race, Sparky Lyle is more than just the manager of the Somerset Patriots.

He’s also the preservation specialist for two catchers dealing with unfamiliar workloads.

J.R. Hopf made his career-high 25th start behind the plate Thursday night as the Patriots faced the Long Island Ducks at TD Bank Ballpark. It marked an increasingly frequent respite for starter Jason Belcher.

“It takes a toll on those guys,” Lyle said. “Belcher tells me he can play every day and I started believing him. But I think it started to show.”

Belcher has caught 637 innings, only 45 shy of his career high set last season.

With 29 regular-season games remaining, Belcher figures to easily eclipse that record — but the pace has drastically tailed off from its peak.

After catching 30 of 32 games in a span earlier this season, the former Atlantic League All-Star has started 10 of the first 18 games in August and only six of the past 13.

Lyle’s current plan calls for Belcher to start three out of every five games.